Gregory S. Hale is accused of killing a woman and eating part of her corpse. / Coffee County Sheriff's Department via AP

by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee man has been charged with dismembering the body of a woman and eating part of her corpse, officials said Tuesday.

Gregory S. Hale, 37, was arrested at his home Sunday and is charged with premeditated first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse, Coffee County District Attorney Mickey Layne told The Associated Press.

Hale confessed to killing the woman, according to the arrest warrant, which identified the woman as Lisa Marie Hyder. Hale told authorities he beheaded Hyder and cut off her hands and feet and placed the body parts in plastic buckets, according to the warrant. It says Hale buried the torso in a burn pile at the residence.

Hale also admitted to "eating part of the victim," according to the warrant.

Layne said a neighbor told police he'd had a conversation with Hale and had reason to believe a homicide had been committed.

Hale is being held in jail on $1.5 million bond. His attorney did not immediately return a call to The AP.

The Tullahoma News reported that Hyder was 36.

Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves told the newspaper that Hyder has an ex-husband and children living in the area. Graves said she apparently became acquainted with Hale, but there is no evidence that they were in a relationship or that she was living with him.

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